Hi! I’m Rosie Clark, and I am the Associate Producer @ Cast in Doncaster.
What does my job usually consist of?
One of the best things about my job is that there isn’t really a “usual day”. Every day is different. My job revolves around artists and projects. The parts of my role that are consistent are: I usually catch up on emails and messages first thing, and then often spend the rest of the day meeting artists and discussing new theatre work being made. I work closely with the marketing team and operation team (technical team, duty managers, box office team and publicity) at Cast to schedule artists into our rehearsal spaces, and I also programme work as part of our seasons work on our stage. I usually project manage two large scale projects a year, such as a pop-up theatre.
Did I know this was what I wanted to do?
Yes! I knew I wanted to work within the creative industries, and had skills more suited to planning and organising projects than performing on stage. I was lucky that someone recognised what I was doing whilst at university and helped me understand a wider array of roles off the stage but within the industry. Producing encompassed all the areas and skills I wanted to work in, it is creative as well as practical and you are at the heart of a project.
What would surprise someone about me?
I like researching, and my role requires quite a lot of this. People make work about all sorts of different topics and areas of experience so having a thirst for knowledge is really important.
What was my pathway to this current role?
I moved to London to complete an MA in Creative Producing and spent the next five years working in venues and on passion projects building up my CV and experience. After moving back up North to focus on community and artist development producing I wanted to gain experience working in a regional venue and building up a network of local artists.
Why Cast?
Well, this was timing more than anything. They were recruiting the type of role I was looking for at the right time. I wanted to work in a regional venue and focus on developing artists and new work in an area, and this was available at the time!
If you have never considered a theatre as a place of work, I would advise/recommend… Explore and ask questions! The creative industries consists of so many different roles and skills, there is something for everyone.
The advice I would give someone in Doncaster is…
It might not be apparent right now, but you are lucky to live in a town that values culture in every form. There is so much on offer in Doncaster in terms of variety and there is a HUGE independent, artist-led mentality. A lot of companies and people wanting to work in the creative industries have made it happen themselves through hard work and perseverance. Doncaster is the ideal size to get your feet in the door of organisations like Cast, Doncopolitan, darts, Higher Rhythm to gain experience and understanding. However, definitely feel like you can look further afield, there is nothing wrong with exploring and learning from other areas and seeking opportunity elsewhere.
What do you want to tell 16 year old Rosie Clark?
You will enjoy going to work everyday.
Listening is a valuable and underrated skill.
Interviews are always a useful exercise even if you don’t get the job.